Description
Object description
Maltese nurse served with Voluntary Aid Detachment at 90th General Hospital in Malta, 1939-1943; served with 1st Mobile Hospital and 45th General Hospital in Italy, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Sliema, Malta, 1921-1939: family; joining St John's Ambulance Service; attitude of Maltese towards Italy; religious convictions of Maltese; military presence. Recollections of period as nurse with Voluntary Aid Detachment at 90th General Hospital on Malta, 1939-1943: training received; German air attacks on Malta; vulnerability of hospital in its proximity to RAF Tak-Kali; nursing first RAF pilot casualty; nursing Axis POWs; attitude to wartime life on island and religious faith; reaction to arrival of convoys; route taken by nursing reinforcements.
REEL 2 Continues: intensive treatment of burnt casualties from HMS Illustrious; reasons for not keeping diary; visits to family in Sliema; narrow escapes from bombing and reasons for not using public shelters; transport problems due to fuel shortage; attitude to work with patients in hospital, 1941-1942; other hospitals and lack of shortage of medical supplies; rations and supplements; importance of Catholic Church for morale.
REEL 3 Continues: wounding by shrapnel during air raid; location of hospital shelters; how children coped with air raids; description of Civil Defence forces; raids on Sliema and evacuation of family from area; unexploded bomb in Mosta Church dome; description of Victory Kitchens; morale of Maltese; co-operation of population and armed forces; opinion of Governor General Dobie; blackout; working routine; reasons for not wanting to marry young; importance of arrival of Pedestal Convoy, 1942.
REEL 4 Continues: water situation; visit by King George VI; award of George Cross to island, 4/1942; effects of malnutrition amongst population; how debris was cleared after siege; pride of Maltese in wartime record; contrast between Italian and German air attacks; service origins of patients; internment of Italians; rapid recovery and celebratory church services, 1943; relations with patients; standard of training received. Aspects of period as nurse with 1 Mobile Hospital and 45th General Hospital in Italy, 1943-1945: transfer of Maltese nurses to Italy, 1943; nursing Yugoslav Partisans.
REEL 5 Continues: quiet time in Brindisi; move to 45th General Hospital in Brindisi; hospitalisation; visits to Venice, 5/1945; return to Malta; status in Italy; relations with Italians; lessons learnt from wartime experiences in contrast with protected state of women in Malta; post war nursing work in GB. Attitude to prospect of not surviving the Second World War.